Convention Report ~ Nimrod Writer’s Conference 2012

I have returned from Tulsa Oklahoma and the Nimrod Writer’s Conference, my penultimate event of 2012. I had a marvelous time. Fortunately for me, the lovely Talia warned me via twitter that the weather had turned quite cold. I snatched up my much loved and rarely used Pink Blanket Coat of Doom (yes, you read that right) and was warm as a, um, warm thing? the entire stay.

Tulsa is a great deal more ~ How to put this delicately? ~ up-and-coming, than I had anticipated in my snooty California way. This, for example, was the amazing view from my hotel room.

There are also food trucks, on of which served up Kmichi Fries. Did I order them? Of course I did.

The Truck

The Fried

I was also informed that Tulsa boasts an anglophile West End, hipsters with ironic facial hair, and stills resist the idea of Southern Sweet Tea (yes!!!). The hotel bed was puffy and deliciously comfortable. I scored a salad with seared ahi tuna at the grill downstairs that wasn’t overcooked or overdressed. (It’s my firm belief that only salads can be overdressed, in all other cases it’s best to make the effort extraordinaire.) As a result of all this, I pronounce the city Most Civilized indeed.

Although, I could not get tea at teatime on a Sunday. Le sigh.

Self and my angel of warmth, Talia

Nimrod is a literary conference. I was the only genre writer. Thus I presumed that I was there to represent the “genre meets commercial Read It Because You Enjoy It” cause. I hope I fought well and academically in defense of the frivolous. Yahveh! I hurled 200 years of critical bashing of genre fiction squarely at the foot of Anne Radcliffe and then drilled a sleepy Saturday afternoon crew on the subject of Gothic Literature as the Root of Everythign good (including steampunk) in a hopefully awe inspiring (but mostly just comical) manor. Conference attendees left my classroom looking slightly shell shocked, which, in my book, is all you can ask for from students.

I met the Poet Laureate of the United States 2011-2012, Phillip Levine, a charming and decidedly amusing gentleman, as well as whole host of other amazing writers of every ilk.

BIG FAT SPOILER ALERT on the Parasol Protectorate series! Really, DON’T READ THE BLURB ON AMAZON if you haven’t read the other books first!
The Omnibus hardback editions are limited run through the SciFi Bookclub only.
The manga editions, Vol. available in print, Vol. 2 by subscription to YenPlus.
Most short stories available in ebook form world wide!
The first Finishing School book ~ Out Feb. 5, 2013

Quote of the Day:
“Sir Francis Walsingham, born in Kent, 1536; died, 1590. He was a celebrated statesman, and secretary to Queen Elizabeth: his integrity was so great, that he died extremely poor. Britons own much to Walsingham, as the zealous supporter of the Protestant religion, the encourager of navigation, arts, and sciences; and one of his favourite maxims should be deeply impressed upon the minds of youth, “knowledge is never too dear.””
~ Mangnall’s Questions, 1830

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I've been waiting for a boxed set to come out! I have them as ebooks and it's not the same. Perhaps you could sign them if you add a Sacramento stop to your tour? You've a built-in fanbase in the Sacramento Steampunk Society . . .